Honorary Fellowship

Below is high-level information about the program criteria to help you determine if you are a good fit for the Honorary Fellowship. For full criteria and guidelines, please refer to the submission guide in the Resources tab.

Eligibility

“An architect of esteemed character and distinguished achievements who is not entitled to practice architecture in any state of the United States, is not a resident of the United States, and does not primarily practice architecture within the domain of the Institute, may be admitted to Honorary Fellowship.”
—AIA Bylaws, section 2.51.

Honorary Fellowship is open to architects:

• Not licensed to practice architecture in any U.S. state.
• Do not primarily live or practice in the U.S.

Nomination

Any AIA member may nominate qualified individuals for Honorary Fellowship. Your nominator may also serve as your sponsor, if eligible.

Objects of Nomination

Object One: Design, urban design, or preservation

To promote the aesthetic, scientific, and practical efficiency of the profession.

Fellowship in this object is granted to architects who have produced extensive bodies of distinguished work that has been broadly recognized for its design excellence through design, urban design, or preservation. This may be accomplished through individual or organizational effort. Works submitted may be of any size, for any client, of any scope, and reflecting any type of architectural design service.

Object Two: Practice Management, or Practice Technical Advancement

To advance the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of practice.

Fellowship in this object is granted to architects who have made notable contributions through their work in the practice of architecture. Practice management includes firm management, administration, and project management. Practice technical advancement includes specific building types and technical expertise. For example, practice technical advancement of preservation projects might be based on the architect’s strong commitment to historical research, implementation of unique preservation techniques, and coupled with their strong focus on the actual construction implementation to enhance our physical heritage.

Object Three: Led the Institute, or a related organization

To coordinate the building industry, and the profession of architecture.

Fellowship in this object is granted to architects who have actively, efficiently, and cooperatively led the Institute or a related professional organization over a sustained period of time and have gained widespread recognition for the results of their work.

Object Four: Public service, government, industry, or organization

To ensure the advancement of the living standards of people through their improved environment.

Fellowship in this object is granted to architects who have made notable contributions in public service or work in government or industry organizations through leadership in the development of civic improvements and needed governmental projects, including such elements as conservation, beautification, land-use regulation, transportation, or the removal of blighted areas, or who have clearly raised the standards of professional performance in these areas by advancing the administration of professional affairs in their fields.

Object Five: Alternative career, volunteer work with organizations not directly connected with the built environment, or service to society

To make the profession of ever-increasing service to society.

Fellowship in this object is granted to architects who have made notable contributions to one of the following: an alternative career related to architecture that illustrates outstanding achievements that supports the architectural profession; extensive volunteer work with organizations not directly connected with the built environment; or service that transcends the customary architectural practice that have wide reaching impacts that serve as a national model.

Object Six: Education, Research, Literature

To advance the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of architectural education and training.

Fellowship in this object is granted to architects who have made notable contributions through their work in education, research, or literature. Work in education may be teaching, research, administration, or writing and should have a lasting impact, be widely recognized, and provide inspiration to others in the field and the profession. Research areas may include building codes and standards, specifications, new material applications, or inventions.

Submissions

For more information on opening and deadline dates, please see AIA Awards FAQ.

2026

Submissions open June 25, 2025

Specific information regarding program policies (i.e., applicant eligibility, nominator options, etc.), required application components (i.e., letters of reference, candidate/project information fields, etc.), and other elements relevant in the 2026 iteration of the program will be available in the online application portal once the award begins accepting materials. All materials must be submitted via the online portal (i.e., cannot be accepted via email, phone, shared online drive, fax, post, etc.) by the prescribed deadline(s): deadline extension or exception requests will not be granted. Applicants and interested parties are encouraged to seek award assistance well in advance of application deadlines to minimize the risk for ineligibility and/or application noncompliance rendering the entry removed from review.   

Submission guide & forms 

The 2024 AIA Sample Honorary Fellowship Application contains the full criteria and guidelines for the program, as well as a preview of every field you will be asked to complete on the submission site. 

Nomination signature form

Photographer's licensing form 

The DQ checklist includes potential criteria that can result in disqualification. Use it to cross-check your materials before you hit the submit button.

Examples of successful applications

Each year jurors and staff identify exemplary submissions to guide you in preparing your own materials. Ultimately, your submission should be unique to you, but it can be helpful to see visual examples of how previous candidates have told their stories. 

To request a copy of a submission not listed here, you can email our archivist. While the criteria are not identical, it can be helpful to review best examples of Fellowship submissions as well.

Object One: Design, urban design, or preservation 

2022 Waro Kishi (Design) 

2020 Andrew Fox Bromberg (Design)

2023

Xiangming Huang, Shanghai TIANHUA Architecture Planning & Engineering Ltd., Shanghai, China

Jiang Wu, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

Phillip F. Yuan, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

2022

Waro Kishi, Hon FAIA, K.ASSOCIATES/Architects CO., LTD, Tokyo, Japan

Laurent J. Duport, Société d'Architecture Laurent Duport, Nimes, France

2020

Andrew Fox Bromberg, Hon. FAIA, Andrew Bromberg Architects, Hong Kong

Bjarke Ingels, Hon. FAIA, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, København V, Denmark

Regine Leibinger, Hon. FAIA, Barkow Leibinger, Berlin, Germany

Zhu Pei, Hon. FAIA, Studio Zhu-Pei, Beijing, China

Tiantain Xu, Hon. FAIA, DnA_Design and Architecture, Beijing, China

2019

Emre Arolat, Hon. FAIA, Emre Arolat Architecture, Istanbul, Turkey

Sandra Barclay, Hon. FAIA, Barclay & Crousse Architecture, Lima Peru

Alberto Campo Baeza, Hon. FAIA, Estudio Arquitectura Campo Baeza, Madrid Spain

Nathalie de Vries, Hon. FAIA, MVRD, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Jane Duncan, Hon. FAIA, Jane Duncan Architects, Ltd., Little Chalfont, United Kingdom

Amanda Levete, Hon. FAIA, AL_A, London, United Kingdom

Esa Mohamed, Hon. FAIA, Akitek Jururancang (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Pei Ing Tan, Hon. FAIA, PI Architect, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jacob van Rijs, Hon. FAIA, MVRDV, Rotterdam, Netherlands

2018

Sathirut Tandanand, Hon. FAIA, Dhevanand Co. Ltd, Bangkok, Thailand

Taro Ashihara, Hon. FAIA, Kokushikan University, Tokyo, Japan

2017

Mario Cucinella, Hon. FAIA, Mario Cucinella Architects Srl, Bologna, Italy

Stein Halvorsen, Hon. FAIA, Stein Halvorsen Arkitekter AS, Oslo, Norway

Giancarlo Mazzanti, Hon. FAIA, El Equipo de Mazzanti, Bogotá, Colombia

Bong-Seok Oh, Hon. FAIA, DONG IL Architects & Engineers Co. Ltd., Seoul, South Korea

Jose Luis Salinas, Hon. FAIA, Arquitectura y Diseno SCMTM, San José, Costa Rica

Javier Sordo Madaleno Bringas, Hon. FAIA, Grupo Sordo Madaleno, Mexico City, Mexico

Bruno Stagno, Hon. FAIA, Bruno Stagno Arquitecto y Asociados, San José, Costa Rica

Ishtiaque Zahir, Hon. FAIA, Vitti Sthapati Brindo Ltd., Dhaka, Bangladesh

2016

Hayder Ahmed Ali, Hon. FAIA, Hayder A. Ali Architects & Building Consultants, Sudan

Louisa Hutton, Hon. FAIA, Sauerbruch Hutton, Germany

Don Kasian, Hon. FAIA, Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning LTD, British Columbia

Teodoro Fernández Larrañaga, Hon. FAIA, Teodoro Fernández Arquitectos Compañía Limitada, Chile

John McAslan, Hon. FAIA, John McAslan + Partners, UK

Reiulf Ramstad, Hon. FAIA, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter AS, Norway

Yoshihiko Sano, Hon. FAIA, Yasui Architects & Engineers Inc., Japan

Denise Scott Brown, Hon. FAIA, VSBA Architects and Planners, US

Gonzalo Mardones Viviani, Hon. FAIA, Gonzalo Mardones Arquitecto, Chile

2015

Pedro Gubbins Foxley, Hon. FAIA, Gubbins Arquitectos Consultores, Chile

Hongyuan Mei, Hon. FAIA, The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HIT, People's Republic of China

Fuensanta Nieto, Hon. FAIA, Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos S.L.P., Spain

Jo Noero, Hon. FAIA, Noero Architects, South Africa

Enrique Sobejano, Hon. FAIA, Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos S.L.P., Spain

2014

Guillermo Vazquez Consuegra, Hon. FAIA, Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra Arquitecto S.L.P., Spain

Antonio Cruz, Hon. FAIA, Cruz y Ortiz Arquitectos, Spain

Antonio Ortiz, Hon. FAIA, Cruz y Ortiz Arquitectos, Spain

Kris Yao, Hon. FAIA, Artech Architects, Taiwan, ROC